Sampans can be spotted floating along rivers and fishing along the coast, and are often still used by rural residents in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
A traditional Chinese wooden boat, a sampan is a flat-bottomed vessel that can include a small shelter on board and is the most common small boast used along the coasts and rivers of China and Southeast Asia. They are often made with local, low-cost materials based on a traditional design that dates back to the early 17th Century. To create your very own sampan, simply cut out the patterned craft paper from your copy of Mindful Puzzles and follow the instructions.
1 Begin with your desired pattern face up. Fold the square of paper in half, edge to edge both ways and unfold.
2 Half fold the outside corners to meet at the centre crease.
3 Fold the top and bottom corners to the centre and unfold.
4 Half fold the top and bottom corners to meet the creases you just made.
5 Using these two creases, fold over the edges to meet the sides of the folded outside corners.
6 Take the two corners that meet and half fold outwards.
7 At each dotted line, fold the edges behind and under.
8 Turn over and diagonal fold each corner to meet the middle crease.
9 Repeat with each side, following the dotted line and folding in to expose your desired pattern.
10 Looking at your diamond shaped piece of paper, fold in the top and bottom corners to meet at the centre.
11 Begin to pull the inner layer outwards using both sides and gently unfold.
12 Invert the layers to turn the boat inside out, slowly unfolding and pressing the underside up and turning over.
13 To finish your origami sampan, round the edges and flatten the inside, ensuring each lifted end of the boat is popped up.
When you’re done take a cute snap and tag us in your photos. We’d love to see all of your beautiful creations!
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